Cate Campbell's insane feat in world record swim

Australia broke their own world record and took gold in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay last night but it was Cate Campbell's stunning run that was the star of the show.

The quartet of Shayna Jack, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell closed the opening night of the Commonwealth Games with a stunning performance at the outdoor pool.

Finishing in 3:30.05, nearly four seconds ahead of Canada, the Australians set off a rapturous home crowd.

The reason they broke their world record from the 2016 Olympics? Cate Campbell.

After Jack opened with a 54.03, Bronte followed with a 52.03 and McKeon a 52.99 before Cate swam an incredible 51 flat on the last leg.

Cate Campbell's moment of triumph. Pic: Getty

Her last leg in the Rio final was a 51.97, while she had bettered that in the heats with a 51.80.

But in front of her home crowd and well removed from the individual 100m final in Rio that drove her to spend a year out of the pool, Cate was overjoyed.

"It was beyond my wildest dreams," she said.

While it won't count as an individual 100m freestyle world record, Campbell's 51.00 final leg was plenty faster than Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom's 51.71 -- set in the first leg of the 4x100m final at the 2017 world championships.

Remarkably, Campbell wasn't even convinced they were going to win after she completed her last turn.

"It's the first time I have ever heard the crowd while swimming," said the former world champion.

"I could hear them roaring coming down the last 25m and thought 'jeez, someone is doing something special, I think I am being caught'.